Magnetic construction set

ABSTRACT

A geometric construction set for building a stable cubic structure, comprising a plurality of like-dimensioned connecting members, spherical magnetically sensitive bodies and anchoring members. Each connecting member has radial symmetry along its axis of elongation and includes permanent magnets at its first and second ends. The anchoring members have three mutually perpendicular and substantially semi-cylindrical arms, a partial spherical cavity at the intersection of the three arms, and a cavity within each of the arms created by its semi-cylindrical shape. The partial spherical cavity is adapted to receive the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies. The cavities in the arms are adapted to securely receive either the first end or the second end of the connecting members. After securely received in the arms, the first or second ends of the connecting member with the permanent magnets are magnetically coupled with the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPPLICATION

None

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material thatis subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objectionto the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or thepatent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office fileor records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates in general to construction sets forbuilding geometrical structures, and more particularly to a constructionset that employs connecting members, magnets, and magnetizable bodiesfor building a cubical shaped structure.

Construction sets-are used for both play and educational purposes.Typically, such sets include several components that can be securedtogether to build two-dimensional or three-dimensional structures. Thecomponents can be secured together by using different means, forexample, by maintaining suitable tolerances between connectable portionsof the components and/or by using magnets and magnetizable membersassociated with the components.

Several construction sets have been developed in the art. For example,U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,809 to Majewski discloses a construction, whichmainly includes hollow spherical connecting elements and thin rodshaving suction cups secured to their ends. The suction cups are used tosecure the rods on the outer surface of the spherical connectingelements. Several structures can be constructed by using differentlengths of the rods. The method of securing the rods to the sphericalconnecting elements using the suction cups is prone to failure as thesuction cups degrade over time.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,323 to Justice discloses interlocking components forthe construction of structures defining various geometricconfigurations. The components of the present invention include a firstcomponent having an elongated trunk portion. The first component carriesa protruding member extending from a first end of the trunk portion, anda coaxial first receptor at a second end of the trunk portion forreleasably receiving the protruding members of other first components. Aplurality of further receptors are radially spaced proximate its secondend portion for releasably receiving the protruding members of otherfirst components. The invention also includes a second component havingan elongated trunk portion with protruding members on its both ends,which also releasably receive the receptors of the first components.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,727 to Balanchi discloses a geometric constructionset for building cubic and square profiles. The construction setconsists of a multiplicity of like dimensioned magnetizable bodies andinterconnecting members. The interconnecting members have an axis ofelongation and magnetic ends, which magnetize and couple with arespective magnetizable body along a mutually perpendicular axis of themagnetizable body. The magnetic ends of the interconnecting members aretapered for insertion into cylindrical recesses, which extend axiallyinto the outer surface of the magnetizable body to permit stablemagnetic coupling. Although the connecting members are similar to thepresent invention, the magnetizable body of this construction set isencased in a body with receptacles resulting in substantial instabilityin completed structures.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,216 to Balanchi discloses an improved geometricconstruction set for building geometrical sculptures. The constructionset consists of a multiplicity of magnetizable bodies and a multiplicityof construction members. The construction members have a plurality ofconnecting arms that have a first cantilevered end and a second portionthat is integral with a hub portion and a permanent magnet in the firstend for magnetically coupling with a magnetizable body. The hub portionhas a geometrical center and the connecting arms have an axis ofsymmetry that passes through the geometrical center. However, the hubportion, which is the main structural component, is different from thecomponents of the present invention, namely the connecting member andthe anchoring member.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention is to provide amagnetic construction set that includes more rigid structural elements,namely anchoring members, in addition to the magnetic and magneticallysensitive means for constructing three dimensional geometric structures.Other objects of the present invention will become better understoodwith reference to the appended Summary, Description, and Claims.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates in general to construction sets forbuilding geometrical structures, and more particularly to a magneticconstruction set for building semi-rigid geometrical structures. Themagnetic construction set includes a plurality of connecting members,spherical magnetically sensitive bodies and anchoring members. Theconnecting members are elongated and radially symmetric, with a firstand second end. Permanent magnets are fixed in both the first and secondends of the connecting members. Anchoring members accommodate either endof the connecting members, in turn, and facilitate achieving a stablegeometric structure. The anchoring member is a unitary piece andcomprises three mutually perpendicular arms and a partial sphericalcavity. Each arm is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape, whichresults in a cavity that is adapted to securely receive either the firstend or the second end of the connecting member. The partial sphericalcavity is adapted to receive the spherical magnetically sensitivebodies.

In order to build a rigid structure, the ends of the connecting membersare securely fixed in the arms of the anchoring members. The ends of theconnecting members are also magnetically coupled with the sphericalmagnetically sensitive bodies when a magnetically sensitive body isreceived in the partial spherical cavity of an anchoring member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fully assembled magneticconstruction set, using the connecting members, spherical magneticallysensitive bodies and anchoring members in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the magnetic construction set, withoutthe spherical magnetically sensitive bodies.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connecting member that includesmagnets inserted into each of its ends.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the anchoring member.

FIG. 5 is a back perspective view of the anchoring member.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the three connecting members secured inthe three mutually perpendicular arms of the anchoring member.

FIGURES—REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10 . . . Magnetic Construction Set-   11 . . . Connecting Member-   12 . . . Spherical Magnetically Sensitive Body-   13 . . . Anchoring Member-   14 . . . First End of the Connecting Member-   15 . . . Second End of the Connecting Member-   16 . . . Permanent Magnet-   17 . . . Arm-   18 . . . Partial Spherical Cavity-   19 . . . Cavity in the Arm

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of a magneticconstruction set is illustrated and generally indicated as 10 in FIGS. 1through 6. The magnetic construction set 10 comprises a plurality ofconnecting members 11, spherical magnetically sensitive bodies 12, andanchoring members 13, which can be assembled to form a stable cubicalgeometrical structure as seen in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, each connecting member 11 exhibits radial symmetricalong its axis of elongation. A permanent magnet 16 is fixed in both thefirst 14 and second ends 15 of each connecting member. The permanentmagnets 16 help in magnetically coupling the ends of the connectingmember 11 with the spherical magnetically sensitive body 12, and theinner surfaces of the first 14 and second ends 15 are tapered in orderto achieve a gapless interface with the spherical magnetically sensitivebody 12.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, an anchoring member 13 facilitates achievinga stable cubical geometric structure. Although amorphous and malleablethree dimensional shapes may be constructed with the connecting members11 and magnetically sensitive spheres 12 alone, without the anchoringmember 13 no rigid cubical shapes can be constructed. The anchoringmember 13 includes three mutually perpendicular arms 17 and a partialspherical cavity 18 at the intersection of the three arms 17. Theanchoring member 13 is a unitary piece, forming a continuous contoursurface with its three arms 17 and partial spherical cavity 18. The arms17 are substantially semi-cylindrical in shape. This semi-cylindricalshape of the arms 17 results in a cavity 19 that is suitably dimensionedto securely receive either the first end 14 or the second end 15 of theconnecting member 11.

Stable cubical geometrical structures, as shown by example in FIG. 1,can be built using connecting members 11 and anchoring members 13. Forsingle cubical structures and small scale cubical structures, themagnetically sensitive spheres 12 are not needed. However, themagnetically sensitive spheres 12 are needed in order to build largerscale cubical structures as well as structures with cubical extrusions.

A single anchoring member 13 can securely receive the first ends 14 ofthe three connecting members 11 in any, some, or all of its three arms17, as seen in FIG. 6. Other anchoring members are then made to securelyreceive any, some, or all of the free second ends 15 of the connectingmembers 11. In this way, the connecting members and anchoring membersmay be assembled as shown in FIG. 2. The ends of the connecting members11 with the permanent magnets 16 are also made to magnetically couplewith the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies 12. The sphericalmagnetically sensitive bodies 12 are received in the partial sphericalcavities 18 of the anchoring members 13, abutting each of the arms.

The connecting members 11 and the anchoring members 13 can be made ofplastic or any hard resilient material. The spherical magneticallysensitive body 12 comprises any material that is magnetically sensitive,or has a magnetically sensitive portion such as a coated iron sphere.The connecting members 11 comprise a shape which is circular incross-section with radial symmetry about its axis of elongation.Accordingly, the arms 17 of the anchoring member 13 are suitablydimensioned to securely receive the first or second ends of theconnecting member 11.

All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanyingclaims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative featuresserving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly statedotherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each featuredisclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent orsimilar features.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for”performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specificfunction, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause asspecified in 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. In particular, the use of“step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisionsof 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, various modifications and substitutions may be madethereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has beendescribed by way of illustration and not limitation.

1. A geometric constructing set, comprising; (a) a plurality ofconnecting members having a first end, a second end, and an axis ofelongation, the connecting members being of circular cross-section andhaving radial symmetry along the axis of elongation, wherein permanentmagnets are fixed adjacent to the first and second ends of theconnecting member; (b) a plurality of spherical magnetically sensitivebodies; and (c) an anchoring member having three mutually perpendicularand substantially semi-cylindrical arms, a partial spherical cavity atthe intersection of the three arms, and a cavity within each of thearms, wherein the partial spherical cavity is adapted to receive thespherical magnetically sensitive bodies, the cavities in the arms areadapted to securely receive either the first end or the second end ofthe connecting members; and the first or second ends of the connectingmembers with the permanent magnets are adapted to magnetically couplewith the spherical magnetically sensitive bodies after being securelyreceived in the arms of the anchoring members.
 2. The geometricconstruction set of claim 1, wherein the anchoring member is a unitarypiece and is made of plastic or other suitable material that islightweight, strong and resilient.
 3. The geometric construction set ofclaim 2, wherein the anchoring member with the three arms and thepartial spherical member forms a continuous contour surface.
 4. Thegeometric construction set of claim 1, wherein the arms of the anchoringmembers are of a dimension suitable to securely receive the first orsecond ends of the connecting members.
 5. The geometric construction setof claim 1, wherein inner surfaces of the first and second ends of theconnecting members are tapered to form a gapless interface with thespherical magnetically sensitive bodies.
 6. The geometric constructionset of claim 1, wherein the connecting members are made of plastic orother lightweight material that is strong and resilient.
 7. Thegeometric construction set of claim 1, wherein the connecting membercomprises different shapes being circular in cross-section and haveradial symmetry about their axis of elongation, and the arms of theanchoring member are suitably dimensioned to securely receive the firstor second ends of the connecting member.
 8. The geometric constructionset of claim 1, wherein all or a portion of the spherical magneticallysensitive bodies are constructed of magnetic materials, such as aplastic or nickel coated iron sphere.